It is not widely known, but West Virginia has many African American leaders and influencers who have hailed from or spent significant time in WV. Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.,of Harvard is one of my favorite modern examples.

I think the existence of historically-black colleges like WV State and Bluefield State are significant and need to be promoted more within and outside the state. These are schools with rich histories and powerful roles to play in today's 21st century West Virginia.